You're a Treasure
by HPsaucy73
Summary: Set after Sectionals and Christmas.  Rated t for language may be m later.  What if Rachel was not as strong as she seemed to always be? What if their words and actions were just too much. An unlikely friend is there to help. sucky summary.. please read.


**A/N I of course do not own Glee or any of it's characters. This was an idea that I had back after sectionals. They really did pile on Rachel including a very unprofessional Mr. Shuester. **

**Anyway hope you all enjoy.**

What would Barbra do? What would Barbra do? She laid there in her bed wondering what the great Barbra would do in her situation. Her dads had gone on a holiday cruise which left her dangerously alone with her thoughts. Barbra, in grand Diva style would move on to something or someone new. She'd sing a fabulously sad song and move on. Rachel pretended to be strong and not to let things get to her, but deep down …."I'm no Barbra" she thought miserably.

As she lay there a familiar song went through her mind. Silent tears fell as she sang to herself.

A world that's full of happiness...that I have never known…

Friendless, boyfriend less, dads gone, Mr. Shue doesn't seem to care if she sings or not...why bother with the whole thing? To use a common curse…Screw it...I'm not going. Rachel curled up in her bed, pulled the covers around her neck and closed her eyes.

She hummed to herself...a little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now.

Everyone filtered into the choir room.

"Welcome back everyone! " Mr. Shue said excitedly. "I hope you all had a great vacation. Regionals are coming up so fans and we have a ton to do so let's get started. Ok, so we need to find a ballad. Rachel you are the queen of ballads, do you have any suggestions?" Mr. Shue hadn't looked up from his pile of sheet music while he was talking. When he got no response he assumed Rachel was still pouting about not getting enough solos and began to yell at her. "Rachel if you aren't going to grow up and be a team player maybe you should think about leaving the Glee Club" Mr. Shue screamed. An awkward silence fell across the room.

"Uh Mr. Shue?"

"Yes Artie"

"Rachel isn't here. I uh guessed no one noticed. Come to think about it I don't think I've seen her all day."

Mr. Schue looked up at the class feeling like a total jerk. Why had he snapped like that? What was wrong with him?

Yeah I haven't seen her either" said Puck

"Isn't it like a little blessing" exhaled Santana.

"Stop being such a bitch Satan." Puck spat at her "It really makes you so much less hot".

Santana gave Puck a look of death and turned away from him to pout.

"Has anyone talked to Rachel recently? Finn?" Mr. Schue asked hopefully.

"Why would they" Santana sneered. "Especially Finn. He came to his senses and broke up with her before Christmas.

Finn, with a sad expression on his face said "No Mr. Schue. Haven't talked to her since before break. "

"No one has heard from her? I'd better see if her dad's called her in today. Work on your assignment and I' be right back"

Mr. Shue went down to the office.

"Last thing on my mind was to call and talk to man Hands" Quinn said.

"What the hell" puck yelled, the irritation evident in his voice. "Look I know she's crazy and can be annoying sometimes, but do you tools have to insult her all the time? Shit she's not even here to defend herself. Oh and while I'm at it...what a protective boyfriend you were to her Hudson. No wonder she needed a shoulder to cry on"

Finn Glared at him"You're an ass Puckerman. Thanks for ruining my life twice."

Come off it dude, nothing happened. We kissed and then knew it wasn't right and stopped. She's forgiven you for more than that and she still loves you...I have no idea why"

Mr. Shue came through the door, a worried look on his face.

"No messages. It really isn't like Rachel to miss school.

Concern creased Finn's brow. "Rachel never misses school Mr. Schue. Even when she had laryngitis she came."

"A little late for you to start caring isn't it boyfriend of the year?" Puck sneered.

"Shut Up Puckerman!" Fin yelled and got up to go get in the other boy's face.

"Ok ok stop it! Everyone just take a seat and calm down" shue said trying to diffuse the situation.

"I'm sure she's fine and will be back tomorrow. Let's start Rehearsal." Boy do you lie Schuester, Will thought to himself. Bad thoughts itched at the corners of his mind. He made himself a mental note to call Rachel after school.

There's just something not right about her missing Glee Club Puck thought. She would practically sell her soul to be here singing. HE looked over at the group, each one off in their own worlds. And they call her self indulgent he laughs. It's just not right. Just before they start to sing puck picked up his things and stood up.

"Sorry Mr. Schue, I gotta go."

But where are you going. We've just started"

"I've got a bad feeling and I've gotta check on...It doesn't matter to you...or any of you...I've got to go.

With that Puck left the choir room, each one staring at him in shock as he left.

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"A little fall of rain can hardly hurt me now,

Rachel sat on the edge of her bed. Her hands shaking as she tried to open the bottle of Percocets she had found in her father's medicine cabinet.

Stupid child protective caps! All she had to do was take these and sleep. No more slushies, no more ridicule, no more rejection or pain...nothing. She finally got the cap off and grabbed a handful of pills. Just as she reached for the class of water…

"What the Fuck are you doing" Puck Yelled

He ran over to her and knocked the pills out of her hand.

She screamed. "My God Noah you scared me to death!"

Shit berry what do you expect?

I expected..well I don't know, but certainly not to see you in my room! How did you get in my house? Why are you here and why did you stop me? It would have been for the best for everyone.

She was near to hysterical now. Puck put his hands on either side of her face.

"Calm down ok" he said looking straight into her deep brown eyes. God you could get lost in Rachel Berry's eyes.

He sat down with her on her bed.

"First...you left the front door unlocked. Second, you weren't at school and you are always at school...so I got worried"

"You were worried about me?" she asked incredulously

"Shh don't interrupt. Third...I stopped you because there was no way I was going to let you do that. You are so much better than that. Than all of those asshats at school. Here, drink some water"

Why are you being so nice to me? No one else is?

We're friends right?

You said that we weren't. I have no friends.

Yeah well I was just being stupid and didn't mean it. Where are your dads?

She gave him a disbelieving look. "On vacation for the week", she sniffed.

"L'emme call my mom and let her know and I'll stay with you for a while... if you want me to"

She looked up at him with tears still fresh in her eyes. "I'd like that. But only stay if you want to, not out of pity."

"B you know I only do what I want to" With that he winked and went out into the hallway to call his mom.

A few minutes later he came back into the room to find Rachel sitting on her bed covered up in a pink fleece blanket with tiny stars on it. Her bare feet and purple colored toenails peaking out of the end. He smirked as he recognized the blanket. His mom had made it for her as a gift for her 7th birthday. Life was much simpler then. He couldn't believe she kept it after all these years. He also could not believe how sexy she looked in her pajamas.

You're here as a friend Dickhead, he scolded himself. Cut that shit out!

He got into bed next to her and leaned back against the pillows propped up by the headboard.

"Come Here", with that he gently grabbed her shoulders and positioned her next to him. She hesitated for a second and then snuggled up next to him. She didn't remember Noah being so muscular. Of course her obsession with Finn had consumed all of her thoughts as of late.

At the same time Puck was thinking to himself...I don't remember Rachel being so skinny. Fuck Finn for doing this to her and all of those other jerks too. He tightened his hold on her. She seemed so fragile and very un...Rachel Berry like.

He felt her relax and could tell she had fallen asleep in his arms.

He was just starting to doze off himself when he heard the buzz of Rachel's cell phone

Text from Kurt – Hey Diva heard you were MIA today. So not like you. You ok?

Puck responded- she's fine, no thanks to your brother and the other d-bags at school. It's Puck. Found her just before anything could happen.

Kurt-What! Thank God! Tell her I'll call her tomorrow.

Puck- will do

HE laid the phone down, closed his eyes and fell asleep.

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Puck woke to hear the water running in Rachel's bathroom. He missed the feel of her sleeping on him. God what a puss thing to think. What was wrong with him? She must be taking a shower he thought. Not that he cared, but it would be something to see her naked.

Curiosity got the best of him and he made his way to the bathroom door. On the dressing table just before the bathroom there was a note. His name was written on it in perfect swirly girl writing.

Carefully he opened it ….

Noah,

You were so very sweet to have come today even though you know how horrible I am. The worst kind of diva with no real talent. The only talent I really have is hurting people. I'm so sorry Noah. You really are a treasure. Remember that. Remember the few good things about me too...when I'm gone.

Xoxo

Rachel

No one had ever called him a treasure before...crazy Berry. It felt nice though. When she was gone? What did that mean? Realization set in….Oh Crap!

Puck dropped the letter and ran into the bathroom. The shower was hot and the steam had enveloped the room. He saw no shadow behind the curtain so he ran to open the curtain. It was then that he noticed the empty prescription bottle on the floor and Rachel's lifeless arm hanging over the tub.

Rachel NO!

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Rachel was jolted awake by Puck thrashing under her.

He must be having a nightmare she thought.

Do I try to wake him up? Then he screamed out "Rachel NO"

What the hell...

"Noah wake up, please wake up. You're having a bad dream. She grabbed his face. Noah Please.

His eyes flew open and he gasped for air. Startled and disoriented he looked around for a few seconds. Realizing that his nightmare was just that and not real and that Rachel was ok, he instinctively grabbed her and hugged her for dear life. Thank God he thought as he tried to get himself under control. He inhaled the sweet smell of her strawberry scented hair.

Rachel responded by putting her arms around him and held him close.

"Noah its ok you were having what I can only guess was a terrible dream"

He reluctantly let go…Yeah that was an understatement

"You yelled out my name…and not in a good way" she timidly smiled. "Do you want to tell me what it was about?"

"No "he told her honestly. "I don't want to think about it all. I'm just glad it's not real"

She said nothing, not wanting to press the issue because it had so visibly affected him.

She looked at the clock "Oh Gosh it's after 9pm. Your mom will be so upset. You should go home."

"I don't want to leave you if you don't think you can...you know ...be alone and not do something...stupid"

He winced, crap that came out wrong.

"No I'm ok. The nap really helped clear my head. And I found out that I'm not alone. She squared her shoulders...I'm Rachel Berry and someone besides me thinks I'm worth something.

HE smiled at her "damn Right!"

"Go home so your mom doesn't get mad. Since my dad's are gone this week, maybe we could hang out sometime...if you weren't busy I mean…"

He reached up and caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb. "Yeah I think we can do that"

She walked him to the door and he gave her a look.

Don't worry I'll be fine.

She reached up on her tip toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Can we please keep this our secret? Sure Rach...Oh damn Kurt texted you while you were sleeping and I kinda told him that I found you. He said that he was gonna call you tomorrow. Maybe you c can catch him tonight.

Thanks Noah Just between the three of us then.

You really are a treasure. I'll see you at school tomorrow.

See ya Berry.

He shut the door.

As he walked to his car her words replayed in his head. A Treasure…what the...she said that in his dream. No Friggin way!

He shook his head and got into his truck to go home. IF she needed him he would be there.


End file.
